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"It's a terrible situation, and our focus is on people who are affected," said CEO John Hoffman.

Hoffman described the people working on the platform.

"They are primarily construction workers, welders and fitters," he said. "They were preparing the platform in the final stages of going into production."

Black Elk is an independent oil and gas company based in Houston. It has about 400 wells and 150 platforms operating in the Gulf of Mexico.

The company has been in trouble before. Last August, it was investigated for an incident where two employees were dropped 60 feet into the Gulf due to a crane malfunction. Those workers weren't injured.

In September, the company paid a $300,000 civil fine related to a site inspection of one facility that showed it was not complying with regulations. There is also federal data that shows a small fire occurred at a Black Elk platform in February 2011, but it was quickly put out.

As for Friday's platform fire, nearby boats helped put the fire out and skimming boats were at the scene.

"We do know some of the oil hit the water, and aerial reports are 2 miles, which is 15.88 barrels of product," Hoffman said.

Hoffman worked for BP until 1999, when when he left to start Black Elk.

"I've been in this industry three decades, and this is the first situation," he said. "It hurts, and it hurts bad."